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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played gracefully.






2. A curve over notes to indicate that a phrase is to be played legato.






3. The piece of cane in wind instruments. The players cause vibrations by blowing through it in order to produce sound.






4. Singing or chanting in unison without strict rhythm. Collected during the Reign of Pope Gregory VIII for psalms and other other parts of the church service.






5. The interval between two notes. Three whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.






6. A period in history dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. This period signified the rebirth of music - art - and literature.






7. The first violin in an orchestra.






8. The opening section of a piece of music or movement.






9. Music that is written and performed without regard to any specific key.






10. A hymn sung by the choir and congregation often in unison.






11. A Boroque dance with a drone-bass.






12. Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera.






13. Either of the two octave arrangements in modern music. The modes are either major or minor.






14. The movement of chords in succession.






15. A symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished.






16. A dance written in triple time - where the accent falls on the first beat of each measure.






17. The range of an instrumental or a vocal part.






18. A direction to play expressively.






19. A composition written for three voices and instruments performed by three people






20. When several strings are tuned to harmonically related pitches - all strings vibrate when only one of the strings is struck.






21. Curved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase.






22. Made up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which musical notation is written.






23. Includes all twelve notes of an octave.






24. A short piece originally preceded by a more substantial work - also an orchestral introduction to opera - however not lengthy enough to be considered an overture.






25. A rhythmic succession of musical tones - a melody for instruments and voices.






26. Where the musical themes and melodies are developed - written in sonata form.






27. The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.






28. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






29. One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment.






30. Word to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played very slow and serious.






31. Where the musical themes and melodies are developed - written in sonata form.






32. The period of music history which dates from the mid 1700's to mid 1800's. The music was spare and emotionally reserved - especially when compared to Romantic and Boroque music.






33. A group singing in unison.






34. A set of seven musicians who perform a composition written for seven parts.






35. A composition whose style is simple and idyllic; suggestive of rural scenes.






36. A portion of the range of the instrument or voice.






37. A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance - shown by continuous applause.






38. The frequency of a note determining how high or low it sounds.






39. The tonal characteristics determined by the relationship of the notes to the tone.






40. An important characteristic of the Romantic period. It is a style where the strict tempo is temporarily abandoned for a more emotional tone.






41. Groups of tones that are harmonious when sounded together as in a chord.






42. The retuning of a stringed instrument in order to play notes below the ordinary range of the instrument or to produce an usual tone color.






43. A composition written for eight instruments.






44. A separate section of a larger composition.






45. Movement or passage that concludes the musical composition.






46. A 19th century square dance written for 4 couples.






47. A direction to play lively and fast.






48. Lowest female singing voice.






49. The expression the performer brings when playing his instrument.






50. A book of text containing the words of an opera.